NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves star Malik Beasley has been suspended 12 games by the NBA ... after pleading guilty to a felony threats charge stemming from a scary incident last September where cops say he pointed a handgun at a group of people.

The league just handed down the stiff punishment, saying the 24-year-old hooper "has been suspended 12 games without pay for pleading guilty to a felony charge of threatening to commit a crime of violence for the purpose of terrorizing another person, in violation of the law of the State of Minnesota."

The incident was super bizarre.

Beasley's Plymouth, Minnesota home was featured on a list of impressive mansions for tourists to visit when in the area.

Prosecutors say the extra traffic in front of MB's house pissed him off ... and on September 26, 2020, Beasley had enough.

Officials say Malik grabbed his handgun and pointed it at a family who was in their car, checking out Malik's pad.

Beasley ultimately plead guilty to a felony threats charge and was sentenced to 120 days in jail.

The judge agreed to allow Beasley -- who's averaging almost 21 points a game this year -- to serve the time after the NBA season.

Malik addressed the suspension to Shams Charania, issuing the following statement to the NBA insider.

"I will take this time to reflect on my decisions. I apologize to all the great fans out there who have supported me during this difficult time and I promise I will come back very soon as a better person and player.”

Beasley will begin serving his suspension on Saturday, Feb. 27 when the Timberwolves visit the Washington Wizards.

Kyrie Irving is breathing new life into the movement to replace the NBA logo with an image of Kobe Bryant -- saying straight-up, "Gotta Happen."

"[I don't care] what anyone says," Irving posted on Wednesday alongside a mockup of a pretty awesome-looking Kobe logo designed by Tyson Beck.

"BLACK KINGS BUILT THE LEAGUE," Irvin added.

A bunch of Kyrie's famous friends immediately supported Irving's proposal in the comments section -- from Dez Bryant to Stephen Jackson ... even the official Bruce Lee IG account co-signed on the idea!

The "Kobe for NBA Logo" movement gained a bunch of momentum following Mamba's tragic death in January 2020 ... with huge and influential stars like Mark Cuban and Paul Pierce publicly throwing their support behind the move.

Even Justin Bieber pushed for the change. But, as time passed, the voices calling for change quieted down. Maybe Kyrie will get everyone talking again?!

As for Jerry West, the current NBA legend featured in the logo, he's previously said he's open for the league to switch it up.

In fact, Alan Siegel, who created the logo back in 1969 told Newsweek he'd be cool with a change as well.

"I'm really proud of the logo, it's been something that's been recognized around the world, but if the current players want to recognize someone that's made a difference, like Kobe, and if the commissioner wanted to do so, I would support it."

So, really ... everyone seems on board with a switch.

The league did implement some changes around the league to honor Kobe -- renaming the All-Star Game MVP trophy after him ... as well as changing the game's scoring format to include his #24.

But, will Kobe become the new logo?!

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game is in Atlanta -- so it's only fitting organizers booked the woman behind "Midnight Train to Georgia" to sing the national anthem!

The NBA announced the legendary Gladys Knight will do the honors of singing the Star-Spangled Banner at the State Farm Arena on March 7, as part of a tribute to HBCUs [historically black colleges and universities].

In fact, the NBA notes Knight graduated from Shaw University in North Carolina -- one of the oldest HBCUs in the country.

Knight has experience singing the anthem at high-profile events -- remember when she crushed it at the Super Bowl in 2019?!

As for the NBA All-Star Game, entertainment will also include an original rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” -- known as the Black National Anthem -- to be performed by the Clark Atlanta University Philharmonic Society Choir.

"The rendition will honor NAACP leader and Black national anthem songwriter James Weldon Johnson, who is also a Clark Atlanta alumnus," the NBA says.

The Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band and Florida A&M University Marching 100 will also perform during NBA All-Star player introductions.

And, there will also be a step show!!

"Throughout the game, members of the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, a prestigious group of nine historically Black Greek letter organizations, will introduce Atlanta’s most reputable step teams from Spelman College and Morehouse College."

How cool is that?!

"Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in our league!!! Simple as that."

LeBron James is FURIOUS about Devin Booker's snub from the All-Star Game ... saying the Phoenix Suns star was more than deserving to make the team in 2021.

The Western Conference reserves were just announced Tuesday ... and while huge names like Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul and Zion Williamson were picked, 24-year-old Booker didn't make the cut.

Of course, Booker is averaging nearly 25 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists a game ... with the red-hot Suns sitting at 4th place in the conference standings with a 20-10 record so far this season.

Apparently, that wasn't enough for the NBA coaches ... who each voted for 7 reserves to rep their conference in the game.

King James fired off about the snub on Twitter ... and he wasn't the only one.

Blazers guard CJ McCollum also expressed his dissatisfaction with Book getting left out ... saying, Damn @DevinBook really didn’t make it ? That’s craxy . Bruh really cold too smh. Sick world"

LBJ also weighed in on Lillard not being named a starter for the ASG ... saying he's the second most disrespected player behind Booker.

Now, there's still hope Booker sneaks into the festivities and becomes a replacement for AD, who is dealing with a calf and Achilles injury.

Ex-NBA star Chris Webber believes there's A LOT of money to be made in the weed business ... and he wants to make sure minorities get a fair shot to get that green.

Webber has teamed up with JW Asset Management to launch a $100 million private equity fund specifically to help minority entrepreneurs succeed in the marijuana industry, which has exploded all over the country.

The issue ... Webber says there are several barriers in place which seem to prevent minorities from getting a piece of the action -- and he's looking to even the playing field.

Webber told the guys on "TMZ Live" ... some states require a $60,000 deposit to apply for a license to open a dispensary which is an extraordinarily high price.

"People need help," Webber says ... "So we’re gonna come in these places and we’re gonna train, we’re gonna make sure we provide jobs, and we’re gonna make sure you have a hub to understand how you can enter the cannabis industry not just as a cultivator or grower, or some star, but also how to make a great living by providing certain services that the industry allow."

Webber broke it down this way in a statement -- "It’s crucial that we diversify the leadership in the cannabis industry and level the playing field for people from our communities."

Kenny Smith says Meek Mill should NOT be canceled for referencing Kobe Bryant's tragic death in his new song ... telling TMZ Sports the rapper deserves a pass for the controversial lyric.

The Philly rapper drew SERIOUS backlash this week when his new collab with Lil Baby surfaced on the internet ... with fans outraged over the following bar -- "And if I ever lack I’m going out with my chopper, it be another Kobe."

While some fans are ready to pull the plug on Meek's career, Smith says he's going to give the guy a pass.

"I'm a Meek Mill fan," Smith says. "I know that he's a huge basketball fan, huge Kobe fan. Whatever he says, I'm always going to give Meek a pass."

The "Inside The NBA" analyst added he knows the sports world is sensitive about Kobe and the January 2020 helicopter accident ... but given all the positive things like criminal justice reform and charitable contributions Meek has done years, he'll let it slide.

"I always give Meek the benefit of the doubt," Smith adds. "He has a track record that speaks pretty long and pretty positive in the past year."

NBA Superstar Russell Westbrook is channeling his inner Ken Burns ... 'cause the Wizards guard is working on a new documentary in hopes of educating people about the atrocities of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.

The former MVP and History Channel announced Thursday they're working on a two-hour doc titled "Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre" (temporary title) ... with Brodie serving as executive producer and Marco Williams and Emmy-Award winner Stanley Nelson on as directors.

The documentary is said to take a deep look at the events of a century ago and how the impact is still being felt today ... in hopes to educate millions on a 100-year-old tragedy.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, here is a brief run down -- In May and June 1921, a race war erupted in Tulsa, OK after a 19-year-old Black man was accused of assaulting a 17-year-old white woman in an elevator.

Black men went to defend the man after some in the city wanted him lynched ... and an ensuing altercation with white people ignited a massive race war.

This led to one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history ... in which mobs of white residents attacked and ultimately destroyed the Greenwood District in Tulsa, OK, which at that time was the wealthiest black community in the United States -- AKA "Black Wall Street."

Many historians believe the massacre has since been underreported and even covered up ... and Westbrook -- who played in Oklahoma for the Thunder for 11 years -- says he had no idea about the incident until he arrived in OKC in 2009.

"The Tulsa Race Massacre was not something I was taught about in school or in any of my history books," Westbrook said in a statement. "It was only after spending 11 years in Oklahoma that I learned of this deeply troubling and heartbreaking event."

"This is one of many overlooked stories of African Americans in this country that deserves to be told. These are the stories we must honor and amplify, so we can learn from the past and create a better future."

Director Stanley Nelson added ... "The horrific story of the burning of Black Wall Street has long haunted me -- I’m grateful to be working on this film with such wonderful partners."

Big news for Toronto Raptors guard Terence Davis ... prosecutors have dropped the domestic violence charges against him stemming from an Oct. 2020 incident.

As we previously reported ... 23-year-old Davis was arrested after officials say he repeatedly punched his ex-GF in the face during an argument at the Beekman Tower hotel in NY.

Davis' ex-GF also told police he smashed her phone when she refused to stop recording him during the alleged incident.

Cops were called to the scene and he was ultimately booked for misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges.

But now, prosecutors have dropped the case against Davis, as first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Davis is a pretty good player -- he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020 which is impressive considering he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

Draymond Green thinks it's complete "bulls**t" for an NBA team to bench a player while seeking to trade him ... just like the Cavs are doing to Andre Drummond.

Green's Golden State Warriors destroyed the Cavs on Monday in a 129 to 98 thrashing ... but it wasn't until after the game that Draymond REALLY went off.

"To watch Andre Drummond before the game, sit on the sidelines, then go to the back and then come out in street clothes because the team is going to trade him is bulls**t."

Here's the backstory ... it's no secret the Cavs are looking to move on from 27-year-old Drummond in favor of the new 22-year-old center Jarrett Allen.

The trade deadline is March 25 -- and Cavs GM Koby Altman has said Drummond would no longer be active for games until a deal is done.

FYI, Drummond is reportedly making $28.7 million this season as part of a 5-year, $127 million contract.

Clearly, Draymond feels it's unfair for Drummond -- a 2-time NBA All-Star -- claiming it's a disrespectful move that's also bad for Andre's mental health.

"When James Harden asked for a trade, and essentially dogged it -- no one's going to fight back that James was dogging it his last days in Houston -- but he was CASTRATED for wanting to go to a different team," Draymond said.

"And yet, a team can come out and say, 'Oh, we want to trade a guy,' and then that guy has to go sit?! And, if he doesn't stay professional, then he's a cancer?! And, he's not good in someone's locker room, and he's the issue."

"And, we've seen situations of Harrison Barnes getting pulled off the bench ... DeMarcus Cousins finding out he's traded in an interview after the All-Star Game, and we continue to let this happen. But, I got fined for stating my opinion on what I thought should happen with another player, but teams can come out and continue to say, 'Oh, we're trading guys, we're not playing you.' And yet, we're to stay professional?!"

Draymond continued, "At some point, as players, we need to be treated with the same respect and have the same rights that the team can have. Because as a player, you're the worst person in the world when you want a different situation."

Green says it's crazy that "a team can say they're trading you and that man is to stay in shape, he is to stay professional. And if not, his career is on the line. At some point, this league has to protect the players from embarrassment like that."

"And then, when Kyrie Irving says, 'Oh, my mental health is off,' everybody goes crazy about that too! Do you not think that affects someone mentally?"

"As much as we put into this game to be great, to come out here and be in shape, to produce for fans every single night, and most importantly, to help your team win, do you think that doesn't affect someone mentally?"

Green ended the conversation this way ...

Roses are red ...
Violets are grand ...
Hey, is that blood?!?!?!
Ayesha Curry just sliced open her hand!!!!

Yep, Steph Curry spent his Valentine's Day rushing his wife to the doctor Sunday night after she gashed her hand open in a freak champagne bottle accident!!!

Ayesha says she wasn't doing anything crazy with the champagne bottle -- something just went wrong, resulting in a wound that needed 4 stitches to close!

"It's important to know that I was not sabering a bottle of champagne when this happened to me," Ayesha says ... "I was opening it the normal way."

FYI, "sabering" is when you take a blade (like a sword or something) and run it along the champagne bottle, usually resulting in a cool explosion that rips off the neck of the glass. It looks cool but can be dangerous if done incorrectly.

The good news ... Curry says she hit the good people at Kaiser Permanente, who tended to her wound quickly so she could resume her V-Day plans, which mostly included watching movies with her NBA star husband.

NBA legend Bill Russell turned 87 on Friday -- and celebrated by blowing out a "small forest fire" on his birthday cake ... and the video is great!

The Hall of Famer -- who won 11 championships during his NBA career (eat your heart out Tom Brady!) -- had Shawn Kemp Jr. on standby with a fire extinguisher in case things got out of control ... but in the end, Bill handled it on his own!

With a few deep breaths, B-Russ took down all 87 candles ... and when asked how it felt to be 87, he replied, "I'll kick its ass!!"

Afterward, the Boston Celtics legend joked about the celebration.

"Whew, I made it to 87! I want to thank my wife for another amazing cake & the small forest fire upon it," Russell said.

"Thanks [Shawn Kemp Jr.] for standing by with the extinguisher just in case, next time bring a CPR kit."

Russell is one of the greatest players in NBA history -- an 11-time NBA champion, 5-time NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star ... and the NBA Finals MVP Award is named after him.

WARNING: LOOK AWAY IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH!!

Portland Trailblazers star Enes Kanter took an elbow straight to the face during a game Thursday night ... and the wound was so bad, he bled all over the court!!

The wild scene all went down late in the first half of Portland's game against the Philadelphia 76ers ... when Kanter and several others were trying to lock up a rebound.

As 28-year-old Kanter lifted off the ground, his face collided with teammate Robert Covington's elbow -- and he immediately reached for his forehead in pain.

The friendly-fire strike opened up a huge gash just above Kanter's left eye ... and he had to hit the locker room right away for treatment.

The good news? The Trailblazers training staff was able to put 3 stitches in the cut ... and Kanter then returned to the game -- and helped the Blazers win, 118-114!

"The eye is good, man," Kanter said afterward, showing off the stitches and swelling. "I'm a Turkish warrior. A little cut isn't going to keep me out."

Safety first!

LeBron James and his Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis, had a double date in L.A. on Thursday -- hitting the fancy Giorgio Baldi restaurant, while wearing their COVID masks!

The NBA superstars had the night off from the court -- so, they took their wives to dinner now that L.A. has allowed restaurants to re-open for outdoor dining.

On the way out around midnight, photogs asked both guys about everything from the Mark Cuban national anthem controversy to injury issues -- but mum was the word.

Honestly, it's just nice to see people going out to dinner again!

The Lakers -- 2nd in the Western Conference -- will take on the visiting Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center Friday night.

The Toronto Raptors better get comfortable in their new homes ... 'cause the team is officially finishing the 2021 season in Tampa due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Of course, that wasn't the original plan -- the team agreed to play the start of the season in Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic ... as Canada officials didn't want teams flying in from the U.S. and possibly spreading the virus.

At the time of the decision, there was hope things would clear up enough for the Raps to return to the 6 for the latter part of the 2021 campaign ... but that dream officially ended Thursday, with the team announcing they will play at Amalie Arena for the remainder of the season.

Team president Masai Ujiri released a statement on the decision ... saying, "Florida has been really welcoming to us and we’re so grateful for the hospitality we’ve found in Tampa and at Amalie – we’re living in a city of champions, and we intend to carry on the tradition of winning for our new friends and fans here."

"But home is where the heart is, and our hearts are in Toronto. We think often of our fans, of our Scotiabank Arena family, and all those we are missing back home, and we can’t wait until we can all be together again."

Mark Cuban has axed national anthems from the Dallas Mavericks' pregame routines this season ... saying Tuesday night, "It was my decision."

Cuban added in a message to the New York Times, "I made it in November."

The NBA owner declined to further explain the choice ... but it seems clear, Cuban is preferring to have his team avoid all the controversy that's come with the song's playing over the last few years.

You'll recall ... after Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the NFL's playing of anthems in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial injustice in America -- critics, including Donald Trump, slammed the move as unpatriotic.

Trump went so far as to say the NFL should fire any "son of a bitch" who participated in the demonstration.

The polarizing kneeling quickly spread to other sports ... and despite the NBA's longstanding stand-for-the-anthem policy, players and coaches alike knelt during the song's playing in the NBA bubble at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement this past summer.

League Commish Adam Silver gave teams the choice this season over how to handle the pregame song ... and, for now, Cuban appears to be the only owner who's nixed it from the in-game experiences.

According to The Athletic, the Mavericks -- who hadn't had fans in the arena until just this week when 1,500 vaccinated healthcare workers received tickets to a game -- have not played the anthem in any of their 13 preseason and regular-season games so far.

Seems New Orleans Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy wouldn't mind if his team took the same approach ... the 61-year-old said Wednesday morning, "This should happen everywhere."

"If you think the anthem needs to be played before sporting events, then play it before every movie, concert, church service and the start of every work day at every business," Van Gundy added. "What good reason is there to play the anthem before a game?"

FYI, Cuban has supported peaceful protests during the national anthems in the past ... saying to ESPN in June before the NBA's bubble restart, "If they were taking a knee and they were being respectful, I’d be proud of them."

"Hopefully, I’d join them."

The historic Krispy Kreme donut shop in Atlanta -- which is owned by Shaq and has ties to Martin Luther King Jr. -- was "gutted" in a massive fire Wednesday morning ... but the NBA legend has vowed to repair it.

The fire broke out at the Ponce de Leon Ave. location just after midnight while 2 employees were still inside the shop.

Both staffers were able to escape without injury, but the structure took heavy damage before Atlanta Fire Rescue was able to extinguish the blaze.

"A fast moving fire gutted the building this morning just before 1 am," Atlanta Fire Rescue said in a statement.

Video of the blaze is wild -- it's a miracle no one was hurt. 11Alive's Joe Ripley reports the back of the structure was badly damaged and the famous giant donut menu was melted.

Shaquille O'Neal bought the shop back in 2016 -- noting its importance to the community ... and to the country.

It first opened in 1965 -- one of the first Krispy Kreme shops outside of the company's headquarters in North Carolina.

In fact, after Martin Luther King, Jr. died in 1968, that specific shop donated 150 boxes of donuts to locate churches to feed the mourners who flocked to Atlanta to pay their respects.